As was reported in the May edition of the WAO Advocacy Newsletter, on May 24, the Wisconsin Senate Health Committee held a public hearing on two critical bills being lobbied on by the Wisconsin Academy of Ophthalmology (WAO): Senate Bill 145, the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) bill, and Senate Bill 143, the physician Truth-In-Advertising bill.

The APRN bill, which the WAO and other physician groups oppose in its current form, would implement extensive independent nursing powers for APRNs, including the authority to prescribe medications and the ability to practice independently without physician collaboration. The Truth-In-Advertising bill, which the WAO supports, would provide practical patent safety measures by restricting non-physicians from using certain words, terms, letters, or abbreviations that would characterize them as a physician.

Since the May public hearing, no official action – in either the Senate or Assembly – has been taken on the bills. However, negotiations continue behind the scenes between the physician community and nursing interest groups. The Wisconsin “House of Medicine” continues to believe there is a path to a compromise on the APRN bill with nursing stakeholders, but remains steadfast that any agreement must include the following provisions:

• Require four years of real-world, team-based care experience before an APRN can advance to practice independently. Current law does not allow for independent practice.
• Include “Truth in Advertising” title protection language in the bill to help ensure patients better understand who is providing the care they need.
• Ensure that a physician specializing in pain medicine collaborates with independent APRN clinics (those not directly connected to a hospital or health care system) so that complex pain medicine for patients can be provided more safely.

The WAO will continue to provide members with updates on the status of both bills as the legislative process unfolds.